By Christopher Lauber ’ 79
When I met Ray Sweitzer , I thought , “ What a gentle , good man .” Almost 30 years later I think , “ What a gentle , good man .”
There are a few things that stick out about Ray besides his gentle manner : listening , food , travel , friends , memory , and grading .
Ray is a good listener , always happy to talk , always patient . Ray enjoys good food , often saying no to a suggested restaurant because he had already been there and wanted to try something new . There is a rumor that he has worked his way through a well-thumbed Zagat . Ray likes to travel , boy does he like to travel . “ I ’ m off to Buffalo .” “ I ’ ll be in Boston that weekend .” “ Oh , I will be in ( fill in the blank ).” I remember stories of cross-country trips with his fellow Jesuit Fred O ’ Brien . Hilarious stories . Closely connected with his love of travel is Ray ’ s commitment to seeing friends . I sometimes think he has stayed in touch and visited everyone he has ever met .
Fr . Sweitzer , SJ
THANK YOU
If you have not quizzed Ray on the number one song in any month over the last 60 years , you have missed an awesome experience . He swears it is a matter of practice and effort , not a photographic memory . Simply amazing .
Ray loves the students and staff of Fordham Prep and often shares his admiration of the quality of students he has encountered in his German classes . He is dedicated to his students and always willing to go the extra mile . I remember one summer finding Ray and a student sitting on a bench in front of school . I walked up to them thinking they had run into each other and it was a casual conversation . But no , Ray was advancing him in German , and this was a class . And his grading system still baffles me . As I recall , eighths of a point were common . How does a student earn an eighth of a point ? Ray knew .
Ray respects others , enjoys others , and in turn is respected and enjoyed by his students and peers . Many of us have had wonderful times with Ray outside of Fordham Prep , for some the opera , for others museums , for me long walks .
Ray , my wife , and I have enjoyed exploring different parts of NYC for years , walking neighborhoods , parks , and paths . Ray often brings places to life with stories that connect us to the history of the city and its people . And he loves to stop at historical markers . Stumbling upon the birthplace of Humphrey Bogart one evening was fun .
I will miss seeing Ray every day . I will miss his smile , his gentleness , his counsel . Maybe I have joined the ranks of his friends across the country and can look forward to a visit . We ’ ll have to find a restaurant he hasn ’ t enjoyed yet .
12 RAMVIEW